The American Legion Utica Post 229 First Call! Chris Urban, Commander DECEMBER 2015 Jack LaPaglia, Membership Post Meetings are first Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. (optional dinner at 6:15) Inside Commander 2 Chaplain 2 Renew Membership 2 Auxiliary 3 Vets Day Photos 4-8 DECEMBER 1 Bingo, 6:30 p.m. 3 Monthly Dinner, 6:15 Post Meeting, 7:30 pm Auxiliary, 7:30 pm 8 Bingo 12 Kids Christmas Party, noon 14 VVA, 1 p.m. 15 Bingo, 6:30 p.m. 19 DAV 21 Bloodmobile, noon-5 22 Bingo, 6:30 p.m. 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS 29 Bingo, 6:30 p.m. JANUARY 1 New Year s Day Bingo, 5:30 p.m. 5 Bingo, 6:30 p.m. 7 Monthly Dinner, 6:15 Post Meeting, 7:30 pm Auxiliary, 7:30 pm SEA OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE ON VETERANS DAY Utica Post 229 members Brian Lazore (left) and Jim George render salutes during Veterans Day ceremonies on Utica s Memorial Parkway. Paying tribute with them is Lazore s daughter, Olivia. Photo / Bob Stronach. TOY/FOOD DRIVE First Vice Commander Jim George is heading up a Utica Post 229 holiday toy drive for children served by Thea Bowman House as well as a food drive for the pantry at the Central New York Veterans Outreach Center. Toys may be dropped off at the Post as well as nonperishable food items until Dec. 15. Children s Christmas Party Dec. 12 Santa and his helpers will be at Utica Post 229 on Saturday, Dec. 12, for the post s annual Children s Christmas Party. The party will run from noon to 3 p.m., and is for members children and grandchildren, ages 10 and under. Sign-up sheets are in the lounge area until Dec. 6. Utica Post 229 409 Herkimer Rd., DECEMBER Utica, NY 13502 2015 315.793.9377 First Call uticapost229.org nylegion.org 1
Commander s Call Chris Urban BUDGET LEANER, STILL GIVES The Budget Committee and the Executive Committee have prepared next year s budget to be voted on at the December General Meeting (Thursday, Dec. 3, at 1930 local). This 2016 budget is leaner (we found ways to cut costs again this year), yet maintains our donation levels. If you would like to review the budget, please contact me or any officer and we will be happy to sit down with any member and go over each line item. We will not e-mail or post the budget (make it public). WATCH THE COMETS AT 229 We have subscribed to all the Comets games. Bring your friends and watch the Comets in comfort at the Post. HAPPY HOLIDAYS I hope that each of you enjoys a very Merry Christmas and the New Year brings you nothing but health and happiness! For God and Cuontry. Chaplain s corner Paul Wojcik I wish you peace and happiness Indeed the perfect gifts Comes this time, the wonderous season Each one the soul uplifts I wish you health as you pursue The blessing of each day This gift more valued then riches I wish it send your way And at this most poignant moment When mankind pauses to Reflect upon Gods greatest gift I wish God s grace for you Henry Gurley I would like to wish each and every member Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Membership at 72% of Goal We currently have 334 paid members as of mid-november. We are at 72% of our 462 quota. If you have not renewed yet, please do it soon to keep your continuous years. Welcome! Welcome to our newest members! Michael Dundon, Matt Costello, Steve Cavanaugh, Michael Joseph, Joseph Ancona, Michael Claeys, Dennis Bransome, George Brandt. -- Jack Lapaglia Membership Chairman www.legion.org/renew COMETS GAMES ON POST S BIG SCREEN TV The big screen TV in the Utica Post lounge is tuned into every Utica Comets game, Post Vice Commander Jim George reports. With the fan base the Comets have, we want to make sure our members are aware of this, he says especially since members can enjoy refreshments and the company of fellow veterans while watching the game. 2 First Call DECEMBER 2015
rosaria haggerty, president Auxiliary Chaplain s corner RENEWALS COMING IN; UP ANOTHER 37 Quota: 214 Paid members: 143 To date, we have 143 paid members (up 37 from our last report). This includes a newborn junior member! It s a pleasure to welcome her to our unit. This tells us that it s never too early to join the American Legion Auxiliary, and begin teaching our children what it means to be a FREE American. Many of our members have been with us since birth, and that s a testament to this great organization. Our percentage of quota is now at 66.8%, so keep those dues coming. Yours in service, Rosetta LaPaglia Membership chair President s Message Dear Auxiliary Members, ROE HAGGERTY Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for, living in the greatest county. The Auxiliary is making plans for Christmas. We are doing our usual for the Children s Christmas Party, wrapping gifts, decorating and planning some fun. We will be wrapping gifts on Thursday, December 10th at 6:00pm. Please bring your scissors and your Christmas spirit. Children and youth chairman Donna Wojcik is collecting hats and mittens for the Thea Bowman House. Please bring them to the post or to the December 3rd regular meeting. Also bring a treat to pass for our annual Christmas meeting. I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year. Spend time with family and our Veteran friends. Yours in service. dianna simmons We beseech Thee, O Lord, that we, who rejoice in celebrating the nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may never cease to be grateful to Thee for Thy divine gift. May our actions at all times be directed toward good works and helpful ministrations, which are pleasing to Thee. Bless us all, we earnestly pray; gladden our hearts anew with the joyful tidings of this Holy day. Let the day soon dawn when men shall permit Thy love to right every wrong, and when truth and justice and love shall overrule all the affairs of men, that here and everywhere there shall prevail the glorious message of the first Christmas morning Peace on earth to men of good will through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Also in memory of Nancy Cresson who has passed. And the sick to get well soon, May God Bless Them. Auxiliary members place wreath at Utica Post 229 monument on Veterans Day. Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year! DECEMBER 2015 First Call 3
UTICA VETERANS DAY COLORED BY Utica Post 229 Color Guard stands amidst the sea of red, white and blue on the Memorial Parkway. BELOW: Chaplain Gary Howard and Chaplain s Assistant Timothy Morrell get set to pray at the POW/MIA Monument. 4 First Call DECEMBER 2015
SEA OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE By BOB STRONACH A sea of red, white and blue provided the backdrop for Veterans Day ceremonies in Utica, where American Legion-led tributes and wreath-laying took place at six monuments around the city including in the middle of 1,000 8-foot-tall American flags set up in neat rows along the Memorial Parkway to honor veterans. Utica Post 229 Commander Chris Urban led the Utica ceremonies, which started at Utica Post before two bus loads of Legion Family members and other veterans headed to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Oneida Square the first of six stops where they prayed, paid tribute, and placed wreaths. Retired Army Chaplain Col. Gary Howard and Retired Chaplain s Assistant Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Morrell offered words of prayer at each stop, lifting veterans and families up to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The other stops included Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the POW-MIA Monument and the World War I/World War II/Korean War Monument on the Memorial Parkway; then the Purple Heart Memorial Park on Whitesboro Street in West Utica, and finally, the All Veterans Memorial at the Post Office DECEMBER 2015 First Call 5
on Pitcher Street. Urban noted at one point that veterans are set apart and share a bond because of the oath they take to defend America and even put themselves in harm s way. Then he quoted President Ronald Reagan s 1982 radio address: In James Michener s book, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, he writes of an officer waiting through the night for the return of planes to a carrier as dawn is coming on. And he asks, Where do we find such men? Well, we find them where we ve always found them. They are the product of the freest society man has ever known. They make a commitment to the military make it freely, because the birthright we share as Americans is worth defending. God bless America. The POW-MIA Monument and the World War I/World War II/Korean War Monument were in the middle of the 1,000 flags, which was a project of the Good News Foundation, in cooperation with the American Legion and other organizations. The Good News Foundation used the flag project as a way to honor veterans and raise money for counseling services for veterans and their families. The Veterans Day ceremonies were coordinated by Utica Post 229 with the help of the City of Utica, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Polish Legion of American Veterans and several other veterans organizations. 6 Chris Urban served as emcee at each wreath-laying ceremony. First Call DECEMBER 2015 Gold Star Mother Mary Wheeler and VVA s Tom Buono at Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Iraq War veteran Brian Lazore places wreath at POW/MIA Monument. Ceremonies at the World War I/World War II/Korean War Monument, where WWII Vet Tom Talerico (below right) placed the wreath and offered a salute. BELOW LEFT: Laying the wreath at Purple Heart Park. DECEMBER 2015 First Call 7
Utica Post #229 The American Legion 409 Herkimer Rd. Utica, NY 13502 First Call is a monthly publication of Utica Post 229 American Legion, 409 Herkimer Rd., Utica, NY 13502, whose mission is to serve veterans, members and local communities. Yearly membership includes First Call, published 10 times a year. Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage -PAID- Utica, NY Permit No. 566 Since its founding in Paris in 1919, The American Legion has been an advocate for America s veterans, a friend of the U.S. military, a sponsor of community-based programs for young people and a spokesman for patriotic values. 8 Editor: Robert Stronach. Send news, First announcements Call DECEMBER and photos 2015 to FirstCall@uticapost229.org.